Belt-stretcher



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S ma Mm G Pm MR UM HT .L Jn

(No Model.)

Patented May 1'7, 1892.

vNo. 474,832.

ing-bars.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW J. I-IUMPHREYS, OF POMEROY, OHIO.

BELT-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 474,832, dated May1'7, 1892.

Application tiled June 19, 1891. Serial No. 396,808. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, ANDREW J. HUMPHREYs, a citizen of the United States,`residing at Pomeroy, in the county of Meigs and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Belt- JE llamp, of which the following is aspecificaion.

This invention relates to improvements in belt-clamps, the objects inview being to prov1de a cheap and simple device adapted to clamp a beltin a secure and efficient manner and to easily draw the two ends of thesame together for the purpose of applying proper fasteners.

Various other objects of the invention will appear in the followingdescription, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointedout in the claim.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a belt-fastenerconstructed in accord ance with my invention, the same being in positionupon a belt. Fig. 2 is a detail in perspective of the fastener. Fig. 3is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5is a detail of one of the clamp- Like numerals of reference indicatelike parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In practicing my invention I employ a pair of parallel side bars adaptedto expand and contract, and for this purpose form each of twooverlapping sections designated as the upper toothed section 1 and thelower section 2. The lower section 2 has pivoted, as at 8, a link-shapedholding-pawl 4, which embraces both sections and has its upper end,which is provided with a tooth 5, pressed into engagement with the teeth6, inclined and formed upon the upper edge ot' the section 1 by means ofa light iiat spring 7, secured to the under side of the section 2, saidpawl serving as a holdin g-pawl to prevent separation of the sections.Each section 2 has pivoted to its inner end, as at 8, a lever 9, saidlevers terminating at their outer ends in suitable handles 10. Upon eachof the levers 9 there is pivoted at 11, adjacent to its section 1, afeed-pawl 12, against the rear end of which a'tlat spring 13 bears andserves to press the pawl into normal engagement with the teeth of theadjacent section 1.

14: designates a pair ot' toggle-levers, there being'two pairs locatedat each end of the device. 'lhe members of the toggle-levers arepivoted, as at 15, together at their point of crossing, and each memberat its rear end is by a link 16 connected loosely with perforations 17,formed in enlarged heads 18, in which the sections l and 2 at theirouter ends terminate. Each of the members of the pairs of toggle-leversare shaped to form at their outer ends beyond their pivots 15 jaws 19the inner faces of which are transversely notched or recessed, as at 20,and each pair of transversely-opposite jaws are designed to receive aclamping-bar 2l', which clamping-bar is provided upon its opposite sideor edge with a pair of notches 22, occurring opposite the notches 2O ofthe jaws. The clamping-bars, it will be understood, are removablymounted in the jaws and may be inserted endwise into the notches 20,which constitute seats for the bars, and are held in position by theinterlocking of the notches 20 of the jaws with those 22 of the bars.This completes the construction of the clamp, and the operation of thesame may be briefly stated as follows: The side bars, together withtheir toggles, are placed at opposite sides or edges of the belt andoverlapping the ends thereof which are to be connected, two of theclamp-bars 2O beingin position and serving to connect the oppositetoggle members of the device. The levers 9 are now operated eithersimultaneously, ifV the teeth of the two sections 1 are disposed in asimilar direction, as in the present instance, or alternately if saidteeth are oppositely disposed. By the operation of these levers thesections 1 are fed over1 and upon the sections 2, and thus the two sidebars contracted until the ends of the belt are broughttogether. It willbe understood, however, that previous to the operation of the levers theremaining two clamping-bars 211 are lslid endwise into their respectivepairs of jaws,

and as the side bars are contracted the togglo-levers are closed so,that the tighter or the greater strain to which the side bars are subjected the more securely do the jaws, or rather 4their clamping-bars,grip the belt at opposite sides. It will be obvious that as fed forwardthe sections of the side bars are prevented from separation by means ofthe lockingpawls 4, and after the ends of the belt have IOO been broughttogether they may be fastened. The paWls fl being in link form andpivoted to sections 2 and embracing sections l constitute a convenientmeans for maintaining the sections in alignment during the vibrations ofthe levers, so that an even steady draft is applied to the ends of thebelt.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- In a belt-clamp, thecombination, with the opposite toggle-levers, the members of which lterminate in jaws, and clamping-bars connecting the jaws, of oppositepairs of side-bar sections, links connecting the outer endsy of thesamewith the toggle members, one of said sidebar sections in each pairbeing toothed, a linkshaped locking-pawl pivoted upon the un- ANDRE lVJ. HUMPHREYSV.

Vitnesses: v

BERN, L. Hoon, C. E. PEoPLEs.

